Sony has often struggled to break into the U.S. market with its phones, and it’s latest moves are a textbook example why.

The flagship Z5, which is already several months tardy in comparison to its launch in other countries, won’t have a fingerprint sensor when it comes stateside. To make it even less attractive, the retail price of $599 and $499 is higher than what you can track down on Amazon or other sites that feature the international SKU.

The spec sheet is decent enough: there’s a 5.2-inch screen, Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB of RAM, a microSD slot, and a 2,900 mAh battery. There’s also a rather impressive 23-megapixel rear-facing camera.

The Z5 Compact also has 2GB of RAM and a 2,700 mAh battery, with both phones claiming two days of life. The display is much smaller at 4.6 inches, though the main camera is a similar 23MP.

Sony told Android Police about the fingerprint sensor removal, “this was simply a business decision,” which won’t help the cause any.

Why this matters: It’s hard to see this as a compelling offer. Sony’s latest phones are coming here with brand-new pricing but lacking what’s become an essential component of smartphone life: a fingerprint sensor. Sony has often had a difficult time selling its phones here, and unfortunately it seems to be yet again fumbling the efforts.

This story, "Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact coming to U.S. sans fingerprint sensor" was originally published by
Greenbot.

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